Conveyer mechanism for match machines



Aug. 21, 1928.

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H. I. LAHR ET AL CONVBYER MECHANISM FOR MATCH MACHINES Filed Nov. 8,1924 18 Sheets-Sheet 16 Aug. 21, 1928.

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H. I. LAHR ET AL CONVEYER MECHANISM FOR MATCH IAC'HINES Filed Nov. 8,1924 18 Sheets-Sheet; 18

Patented Aug. 21, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1 1,681,863 ArsnT OFFICE.

HARRY I. LAHR AND ORLO ELMER- SWARTZ, OF WADSWORTH, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TOTHE OHIO MATCH COMFANY, OF WADSFVORTH, OHIO, AOORPORATION OF OHIO.

CONVEYER MECHANISM Application filed November In factories where anumber of similar machines are provided for producing similar products,and such machines are arranged in batteries, and the output of thesemachines is destined for final delivery at a certain point where a finaloperation is performed upon the output such as packaging, wrapping orthe like, it is desirable to have some means whereby the output of theentire battery of machines may be collected, arrai d and conveyed to thepoint of delivery without necessitating hand manipulation, to the endthat o eratives who would otherwise be employed in collecting andtransporting the output of the machines may be diverted to other moreessential occupations, and the production 'of the factorytherebyrelatively greatly increased.

This is particularly true in match fac tories where, in what is known asthe match room, match-making machines are arranged in rows or batterieswith their ends from which the finished and boxed product is dischargedin line and therefore readily adaptable to conveyor means of the typeabove mentioned. Obviously, if 10 mechanical means is provided forcollecting, arranging and transporting the boxed matches to the point atwhich they are wrapped in appro priate packages or otherwise packed forshipment, these boned matches will have'to be collected, arranged andtransported by hand, thus necessitating the employment of a number ofoperatives in this work who might otherwise be employed at other labor.The object of this invention is, therefore, primarily, to provide amechanical device for collecting, arranging and conveying the boxedoutput of'a battery of match machines to a point of discharge where theyare wrapped, packed or otherwise finally handled, and although theinvention as shown and hereinafter described is specially constructedand adapted for the handling of boxed matches, it is apparent that theprinciple involved may be utilized for the handling of other articlesequally elhciently.

The invention consists in a conveyer mechanism adapted to be arrangedadjacent to the discharge ends of a plurality or battery of machines, ofmechanism for transferring the output of the machines from the dischargeends thereof to the conveyer mechanism, of

with the conveyer mechanig articles traf ferred to means associated nonMATCH MACHINES.

s, 1924. Serial No. 748,758.

the conveyor mechanism in proper alignment and relationship, of meansfor collecting and discharging the thus deposited and arranged burden ofthe conveyor mechanism, and means communicating with the discharge meansfor transferring the conveyed articles from the discharge mechanism. Andthe invention consists further in various instrumentalities embodied inthe elements heretofore recited to accomplish efficiently the purposefor which the device of the invention is designed, as I will proceed nowto-explain and finally claim.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the severalfigures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figures 1? and 1"when placed end to end on the lines AA produce a schematicrepresentation in plan of the entire oonveyer mechanism. Figs. 2, 2 2, 2and 2 when placed end to end on the lines aa, bb, c and (Z-(Z produce aside elevation of the conveyer mechanism a part thereof being brokenout. Fig. 3 is an end view looking to the rightof Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is aview taken on the lines 4 .l: of Figs. 2 and Fig. 5 is a side elevationtaken on the line 55 of Fig. 4, but with the discharge chute and itsassociated parts omitted. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the conveyer properand one set of the arresting devices and ti e operating mechanismtherefor associated therewith. Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 77of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a section'taken on the line SS of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 isa plan view of the discharge chute and its associated mechanism. Fig. 10is a longitudinal section taken on the center line 101.0 of Fig. 9.Figs. 11 and 12 are a plan view and a side elevation respectively of theturntable to which the chute discharges. Fig. 13 is a side elevation ofthe mechanism for elevating the boxedmatches from their point ofdischarge from the match machine to the conveyer mechanism and fordepositing them upon the conveyor. Fig. 14 is an end view of thedischarge end of the conveyer mechanism illustrating a modified form ofdischarge mechanism. Figs. 15 and 16 are views similar to Fig. 14, butwith parts omitted, illustrating the mode of operation of this modifiedform of discharge mechanism.

Referring now particularly to Figs. and 1 the conveyer mechanism as awhole may be said to comprise essentially the follmving nism B, adischarge chute C. provided with.

mechanism for preventing jamming, and a turntable D for receiving theboxes of matches-discharged down the chute G and for changing theirdirection of travel so that they may be diverted 'to any desired point.

Obviously various modified forms of these till particular elements mayreplace those herein shown and described v and moreover if desired, oneor more of these elements may be omitted as circumstances warrantwithout impairing the utility of the conveyor mechanism as a whole. 7

The entire conveyer mechanism is supported at such a height above thefloor as to furnish suitable head room for persons employed about thematch machines by an ordinary pipe framework consisting of verticalsupports 1 and longitudinal stringers 2, and. as hereinbefore indicated,extends past the discharge ends of all of the match. machines forming abattery. These match machines may be of any desired. number, theconveyor mechanism schematically illustrated in Figs. 11 being arrangedto receive the output of eight separate machines. 7 I I At positionssufliciently .removed from the first and last match machines of thebattery to provide against interference with operatives employed aboutthe machines are stands 3' and 4t, carrying bearing members 6 and 7respectively in which are journaled similar pulleys 8 and 9 around whichruns the continuous conveyer belt 10. The upper or working flight ofthisbelt is supported throughout its length upon a rigid bed 11 (seeparticularly Fig. 7 whereby it presents a continuous even travellingsurface upon which boxes of matches may be deposited; and thelower oridle flight of the belt is suitably supported throughout its length byidler rollers 12 carried in bearings 13 supported upon frame members 14suspended by frame members 15 from the stringers 2.

At suitable intervals throughout the length of the framework we providebrackets 16 clamped to the members 14 and which, in combination with thebearing brackets 13 provide supports for longitudinal angle members 17which extend the full length of the conveyor and provide means forsupporting the bed 11 and bearing and other brackets later described. 1

Arranged above the working flight of the belt 10 and out of contacttherewith and so spaced apart" as to form suitable guideways 18 forboxes of matches, are a' plurality of guide members 19 carried byhearing pieces 20 which are supported rods 21. The ends of these rodspass through and are clamped in brackets 22 attached to the anglemembers 17. Intermediate the bearing pieces 20 we provide similarbearing pieces 23 arranged for engagement with and having rods 24:passing through them. All of the bearing pieces 20 and 23 are arrangedfor adjustment along their rods 21 and 24 respectively and are providedwith set screws 24; by which they may be secured in adjusted positionupon the rods 2.1 and 2- and the guide members 19 thereby adjusted inproper align ment. Y

As will be seen by' referenceparticularly to Figs. 1 1", a separatetrack or path 18 is provided for the boxes of matches deposited upon theconveyer from each separate match machine. Boxes of matches from themachine farthest away from the discharge mechanism B are deposited at aand pass into the path 18 and are thereby guided to the edge of the belt10 farthest away from the point of deposit. The boxes of matches fromthe next machine in order are deposited upon the belt 10' at Z), passinto the path 18 and are thereby guided over towards the 'path'18 and soon for each machinathe machines depositing the boxed matches inrelatively the same position upon the belt 10, and the appropriate pathsformed by the guide members 19 directing the thus deposited boxes ofmatches to the far side of the belt in order, until the last machine isreached, which deposits the boxed. matches upon the belt in relativelythe same position as do all of the other machines, but the path whichthe-thus deposited boxes take being in line with their point of deposit.Obviously the width of the belt must be such as to accommodate upon itsworking flight and in atransverse row. one box ofmatches from eachmachine arranged to discharge upon the belt and is thus determined bythe number of machines so. discharging.

It will be apparent that the match machines will not discharge boxesofmatches to the conveyor at such regular intervals that the thusdischarged boxes will travel along with the belt in even transverserows, and as it is desirable that the boxes so deposited as sume eventransverse rows across the belt during its progress so that they may beefliciently handled by the discharge mechanism B, we provide atintervals throughout the length of the paths a plurality of stop trips25 (see particulars Figs. 6, 7 and 8') arranged for pivotal action uponshafts 26 mounted in brackets 27 carried by the angle members 17. Thesetrips are in the form of hell crank levers having a long'arm 28providedwith a stop portion 29 adapted when in lowered po sition toengage a box of matches traveling upon the belt (see Fig; 8), and ashortarm 30 provided with a foot 31 normally enga ed by

